Monday, August 18, 2008

Season starts with a bang


And we're off. The Prem opened up this weekend and it did not disappoint. Well there were some disappointments, but not if you're a True Blue. Chelsea came out on fire, while the rest of the Big 4 seemed to have molasses stuck to their feet. There were definitely some surprises, and a few games that will have the pundits scratching their heads. Below is the Monday recap:
Chelsea 4 - Portsmouth 0: This game was a statement by Scolari and the Blues. Portsmouth won the FA Cup and gave up the 6th fewest goals last season, so the final score was a bit of a shocker. Crouch and Defoe continue to struggle, and being outnumbered in the midfield saw little service come their way. Defensively they looked at sixes and sevens(piss poor) and David James has come back to earth. With Man U next, it looks to be a rough start for Portsmouth. With Deco, Ballack and Lampard all playing, who said you can have too many cooks in a kitchen?
Man U 1 - Newcastle 1: Another shocker, though with Man U's injury problems maybe it shouldn't have been. With Tevez, Ronaldo, Saha, Nani, Anderson and Hargreaves out, it was not an easy day at Old Trafford. Campbell impressed, but Man U lacked the free flowing football(soccer) that won them the title last year. Obafemi Martins proved he is the best, and fittest, striker on Newcastle. New signing Coloccini and Gutierrez give hope to the black and white faithful.
Arsenal 1 - WBA 0: A good result, but disappointing game for Arsenal. Walcott continues to underachieve, and Adebayor was uninspiring. Nasri marked his debut with a goal and looks to fit in well, but Fabregas and Van Persie were missed at the start. This team needs a driving force, and right now there are a lot of diamonds in the rough, but no jeweler. Credit to West Brom, they were unlucky not to get a point, and Almunia did well to keep a clean sheet.
Liverpool 1 - Sunderland 0: Liverpool's performance must have been the most disappointing of the top tier. They were stifled creatively, with almost no presence on the wings. It took a Torres moment for them to grab the points, but he and Keane still look uncomfortable together. Sunderland looked impressive, and were just missing the final product. Malbranque and Chimbona shone, while their back line and Gordon showed they will be hard to break down.
Blackburn 3 - Everton 2: Probably the big shock of the weekend. Everton looked terrible in the first half, a stunning strike from Arteta not withstanding. Jagielka was all over the place, and they need a holding midfielder in the Carsley/Gravesen vein. Their bench showcased a lack of depth, and they will need a few new players and a much better defensive performance if they want to crack the Big 4. Credit to Ince, Blackburn looked good. They converted their chances, but Robinson already looks a poor buy.
Aston Villa 4 - Man City 2: Things are not going well for Marc Hughes. Bojinov was off before he even got on the pitch, and he'll be counting the days until Jo returns. Elano impressed, but this was Villa's day. Agbonlahor showed why he should be in the senior squad for England. Along with Carew and Young, he forms one of the deadliest attacking combinations in the Prem. Barry may have his heart elsewhere, but he put in a solid performance.
Middlesbrough 2 - Tottenham 1: The Ramos revolution did not start with a bang. They were obviously missing Bale at left back, and a Huth own goal was their only consolation. With Berbatov starting on the bench, he should be gone by the weekend. They will need to be more creative, or find a way to deal with the physicality of the Prem. Mido got revenge on his former team, and the meteoric rise of David Wheater continues to rise(shoot?).
West Ham 2 - Wigan 1: Giving up a goal in the first few minutes was not how Steve Bruce wanted to start his season. But scoring two in the first ten was how Ashton wanted to start his. He went off injured(it is Dean Ashton after all), but he looks to be ok. Wigan came back after that, and the Zaki/Heskey partnership looks like it will bear fruit. If they can convince Figueroa not to shoot so often(there's a reason he was left open) they should do well.
Bolton 3 - Stoke 1: And the Derby award for worst team in the Premiership goes to...Stoke. It looks to be a long performance when the newcomers were shown a lesson in the art of the longball. Stoke may try to play Bolton's style, but they will need a lot more muscle and aerial ability if they are to succeed in it.
Hull 2 - Fulham 1: This was a shock for Fulham and Roy Hodgson, as Hull celebrated their first appearance in top flight football(soccer) with a win. Geovani looks to be a star, and Man City could sure use his magic. Fulham's defense led by the shaky Paul Konchesky(wasn't he supposed to be fighting for a place in the England squad) who gifted them the winner. Hull will be a tough place for teams to go this season, and if they can stay up it will be thanks to their home form. The less said about this Fulham performance the better.
So an exciting weekend, I haven't even gotten a chance to talk about the Olympics, but that will come tomorrow.
One Liners
  • Arshavin looks set to move from Russia with love, to Tottenham with money
  • Rovers linked to Joaquin, a world class player joining Blackburn instead of leaving?
  • Berbatov wants to make dream move, still doesn't want to hand in transfer request and lose loyalty bonus
  • Ivanovic moves from Chelsea to Milan, who?
  • Arena hired to coach Galaxy, Beckham and Bruce sounds like a great sitcom